Electrical signaling apparatus



(N0 Modell) Y A. B. WYCKOFF.. ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 443,157. Patented Deo. 23, 1890.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE B. l/VYCKOFF, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS- SIGNOR OF THREE-FIFTI-IS TO JOSEPH WARREN COULSTON, OF PHILA- DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,15*?, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed May 5, 1890. Serial No. 350,561.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBEosE B. W'YoKoEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Electrical Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide efficient means for causing the flashing of an electric light for signaling or other purposes; and this object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1, 2, and 3 are diagrams illustrating the operation of my improved signaling apparatus, and Fig. el. is a sectional view of the same.

It is a desideratum to employ electric lights in many cases for signaling purposes, especially in light-ships or on naval or commercial vessels, where the use of the ordinary means for flashing the light-that is to say, the means used in iixed lighthouses-are not available because of the liability to derangement due to the rolling, pitching, or tossing of the vessel. Y

As an electric light can be iiashed by simply completing or breaking an electric circuit, its adaptability for signaling purposes on shipboard is obvious; but the means used for making and breaking the circuit must be such that said circuit can be made and broken in an inappreciable lapse of time, so that the lamp will instantly flash up to its full power and will be instantly extinguished, whereby the duration of the light and dark periods can be readily and accurately determined. For this reason I employ in my apparatus a peculiar form of switch, referred to hereinafter.

In the drawings, D represents a dynamoelectric machine or other generator' of electricity; P, the positive wire leading therefrom, and N the negative post, L representing a lamp (or it may be a group of lamps) to be lighted, and R a resistance of any desired character, equaling or substantially equaling the resistance offered by the lamp or group of lamps L, this. resistance being pref- (No model.)

erably in the form of a secondary battery, 5o

which will be charged by the passage of the current through the same.

rlhe positive wire P of the dynamo is in electrical connection with the shaft S, which is rotated by any suitable means, either continuously or intermittently, the rotation being by preference an intermittent or stepby-step movement.

The shaft S has two arms A and A', set in different planes, and in line with the outer 6c ends of these arms are segments B B', so located that during a portion of the swing of the arm A it will be in electrical contact with the inner face of the segment B, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm A during such time traversing that portion of its arc which is not bounded by the segment B. As the arm A leaves the segment B, however, the arm A makes connection with the segment B', so that one or otherof the segments is always in elec- 7o trical communication with the shaft S, and hence with the dynamo or other generator of electricity, the change in the iiow of current to one or otherof the segments being effected instantly-that is to say, at that particular period of time when one of the arms of the shaft S moves out of contact with its segment and the other arm of the shaft moves into contact with its segment. The segment B is connected with the lamp or group of lampsL 8o by means of a wire'P, and the segment B is connected to the resistance R by means of a wire P2, the lamp and resistance being, respectively, connected to the negative post of the dynamo by Wires N N2. therefore, that so long as the arm A is in contact with the segment B the full force of the current will be directed through the lamp or group of lamps L, and the latter will burn with full power. moves out of contact with the segment B, and the arm A simultaneously moves into contact with the segment B', the full force of the current will be diverted from the lamp or group of lamps to and through the resistance R, and

It will be seen, 8 5.

NVhen, however, the armA 9o Vlined and the duration of the flash can be accurately determined.

It Will be evident that the relative durations of the light and dark periods can be Varied by simply varying the extent of the segments B B in respect to each other, and it will be evident, also, that the arms A A may make contact with the side faces or outer faces ofthe segments B B instead of with the inner faces of the same7 as shown in the drawings.

The arms A A are adjustable radially in respect to the shaft S, so as to make proper contact with the segments B B', the arms being secured in position after adjustment by set-screws d; but the arms may, if desired, have a certain amount of radial play in respect to the shaft and may be projected to their full extent by means of a spring, so as to insure the desired scraping Contact of the arms with the segments.

Havingr thus described my invention, l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcntl.. The combination of a dynamo or other generator of electricity, a lamp or group of lamps, a rotatin shaft havingr proj eeting arms in different planes, and segments, one for each of said arms, one segment serving to direct the current to the lamp or group of lamps and the other segment shunting the current back tothe dynamo, substantiallyas specified. l

2. The combination of a dynamo or other generator of electricity, a lamp or group of lamps, a resistance, a rotating shaft having projecting arms in different planes, and contact-segments, one for each arm, one of said segments being connected with the lamp or lamps and the other with the resistance, the segments and arms being so arranged that contact isinade by one arm With its segment simultaneously with the breaking' of thecontact between the other arm and its segment, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing' Witnesses.

AMBROSE B. WXI'GKOFF.

Witnesses:

Jas. L. SKIDMORE, ALBERT Perkins. 

